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New European Bauhaus
Project

The Distillery: Social Reactor

Old meets new in the Distillery, a Brno, Czechia-based project, designed as a cultural venue to inspire creative debate, support innovative ideas and accommodate diverse events.

The Distillery - Social Reactor © European Union
The Distillery - Social Reactor
© European Union, 2021

Old meets new ? in the Distillery, a Brno, Czechia-based project, designed as a cultural venue to inspire creative debate, support innovative ideas and accommodate diverse events.

The Distillery maintains a balance between the history of the old industrial site and the modern context, and is part of the applications submitted to the New European Bauhaus prizes in the "Regenerated urban & rural spaces" category.

The 4-story building was originally part of a distillate plant founded by a Czech Jewish family in the early 19th century. It is the last of 7 original connected buildings to exist.

For decades, the structure was inoperable until 2016, when it was given a new name retaining its historical significance.

Built with low-budget and out of recycled materials from previous events & projects, the timber structure is surrounded by polycarbonate & corrugated plastic.

The project is the prototype of KOGAA, an architectural studio dedicated to creating a sustainable alternative to development with projects that benefit communities & the local environment.?

The Distillery's purpose is to connect an innovative and creative work environment with the local community and cultural scene, dealing with the problem of dormant structures and their adaptation into substitute functions.

All restoration interventions ? were carried out to best utilize the spaces through their inherited attributes, driven by the succession of activities hosted since its new residents moved in.

Before its incarnation as a co-working space, the main hall served as an event space & later an art cinema. The construction of a continuous rubber strip along its walls was prompted by the necessity for heat and sound insulation. On its top level, a double-storey box-like extension was recently installed to accommodate a communal meeting area, a kitchenette, a library & working spaces.

Within the ever-present environment of ?? post-industrial cities, this is an example of how a vacant property becomes a vibrant location that actively contributes to the urban & economic development of the surrounding neighbourhood & city life.

? © European Union

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